A Thief In the Night
by Last Dreamer
Summary: Pre Series    Neal is taken one night by a man who plans to have him steal from another man of power. Kate calls upon an unlikely friend to help track down and rescue Neal...before he becomes a casualty caught in the middle of a power war.
1. Taken

Hey, so this is the first time I've written a story for ffn I wrote several fanfiction stories for Psychfic. I couldn't find a site for White Collar Fanfiction alone, so I decided to try this website out. I hope you like my story, comments help fuel my motivation to continue. I'll admit that my grammar is not the best. If you see a mistake it is mine and mine alone. My apologies.

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It was quiet in the little apartment, a bit to quiet. Neal and Kate were laying on the bed, a light sheet covering them as they slept peacefully. The air conditioning system was turned off for the night and every window was cracked open slightly, letting the cool breeze of night lower the temperature of the room. No care in the world they faced each other, hands intertwined in front of them. They had fallen asleep after talking all night. Talking about the future. Neal had learned of a very expensive piece of art that was being transported soon. Together they had devised the perfect plan to snatch that one and replace it with a forgery.

Kate had fallen asleep first. Neal was by no means offended. They often spent the nights planning something or other. If it wasn't their next heist it was where they wanted to live next when they had a bit more money.

He loved to watch her sleep. The way her dark lashes created crescent moons on her pale cheeks. How innocent she looked. So beautiful. Every night he would fall asleep smiling, content just to be by her side. There was no denying how lucky he was to have found her, and he never wanted to let Kate go.

It was quiet in the apartment, and that's why Neal knew something was wrong with the silence was broken. It was a small cutting noise, the sound of a blade slicing through mesh wire. The windows had screens on them. Immediately his hands tensed.

Kate's eyes opened, they were wide and alarmed but accustomed to danger she remained thankfully silent. Eyes searching Neal's for answers or instructions.

Neal mouthed the words "break in" and "closet" and nodded in that direction. Silently she moved, only looking back over her shoulder to see if he was coming. Neal shook his head silently, no he wouldn't be joining her. One of them had to confront the intruder. Immediately Kate protest, not wanting to hide in a closet when her boyfriend faced the bad guys alone.

Silently, but sternly Neal narrowed his eyes and shook his head sharply, leaving her no room to argue. With a visible, but inaudible huff Kate disappeared in to the closet. Offering a 'be careful' look before shutting the door. In return Neal gave her a reassuring grin.

After all, a con man was always in control…that is, except when he wasn't. This was his home after all, this place was supposed to be safe. Apparently tonight that was not the case. Tonight he had to protect Kate in any way possible.

Tense, Neal listened as he heard foot fall in the kitchen. Whoever had been cutting the mesh had finally gotten inside. There wouldn't be a whole lot he could do if the man…or woman was armed. If there was one thing Neal hated most in the world, it was guns so of course he didn't have one in his apartment. Sure, he and Kate didn't have much money, but Neal did his best to buy a place in a supposedly 'safe' neighborhood. There should have been no need for a gun or security system.

Neal hated to be wrong. Gripping the sheet his mind raced for a plan. It was a bit surprising when no brilliant idea came to him. He always had a plan and a back up plan to every plan. There was always a way to work a situation. Nothing was hopeless but some things took a bit more time.

This was currently taking to much time. Thinking of a plan was getting him nowhere. When the footsteps came to a halt next to his side of the bed he knew there was only one thing he could do. Talk.

When the hand grabbed his shoulder Neal pretended to startle awake. Turning with the help of the hand his blue eyes found a gun pointed at his head. The man it belonged to was unmasked and his dark eyes were staring coldly down at him. Dark lips parted to a white smile, a small glimmer caught of the man's front tooth which had been tipped in gold.

"Neal Caffrey," he spoke calmly and quietly.

Taking in a quick breath Neal eyed the man and what was in his hand nervously, he hated guns. "Seems you have me at a disadvantage…your name is?"

"None of you're concern. I'm here to collect you." The man said, as if it were so easy. Maybe for him it was, "I was told you had a girlfriend, where is she?"

Immediately Neal answered, not pausing to give any indication that he was lying, "Gone, we had a fight and she left." His voice was breathy, as it would be if he were woken by surprise to find a gun in his face. It wasn't hard to fake the fear, since he was feeling fear. Fear that he might do something wrong and put Kate in danger.

"Lovers quarrel?" the man asked, motioning with the gun for Neal to stand, "my boss has a job for you."

Neal shook his head, "my parents told me never to take jobs from strangers with guns." He said with a sarcastic bite to his tone.

"Who said you had a choice?" The man with a gold tipped tooth asked as he raised his other hand up from the darkness, revealing a needle. If there was one thing Neal hated more than guns…it was needles with unknown substances.

In a defensive reaction Neal stepped back, but not fast enough. With lightning fast reflects the man with the gold tip tooth lashed out with the handle of his gun, knocking it across Neal's forehead with a sickening crack. As Neal fell he maneuvered him back onto the bed, jabbing the needle into the younger mans arm. "Sweet dreams Caffrey, the boss will see you soon." The man was saying.

Neal fought control of his senses. Between the head wound and the pulling effect of the drug the young man had no chance. Darkness claimed him and the one thing he could be grateful for was that the man who had him didn't have the one thing he could never live without. Kate.

From the closet Kate heard everything. She wanted nothing more than to help Neal, to save him from this man who had invaded their home. There was nothing she could do, if she showed herself Kate knew she would likely get a bullet before she could do anything helpful.

Tears of frustration and worry filled her eyes when she heard the crack of a something solid against flesh. Neal cried out and she felt a part of her heart break. Covering her mouth as she let out a sob she listened as Neal was picked up and carried from the room and out of the apartment.

Shaky knees finally gave up and she collapsed to the ground in the closet. Crying openly Kate's mind raced. What could she do? There was little she could do by herself. Gathering herself off the floor and taking a hold of her emotions, Kate opened the door and saw the proof that Neal was gone.

Her eyes looked around for clues, anything that might lead her to Neal's capture, but she was no detective. She was barely an art thief. Than a thought came to her like a light bulb turning on, she wasn't a detective, but she knew someone who was.

Careful not to disturb the crime scene she found Neal's phone and scrolled down the contact list. A small smile played on her face, Neal liked to know everything about his enemies, Agent Burke's number was listed.

As she pressed the send button the smile left her face. It rang, once, twice, "Burke," a rough, tired voice barked into the receiver.

Taking a breath Kate did the scariest thing in her life, trusting the FBI. "Agent Burke? I'd like to give you information on a future art theft."


	2. Clash

Shout out to all those who have commented and asked to be alerted for this story! You guys are awesome!

I got super excited and finished the second chapter tonight. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to complete but I'm a busy student and I write when I can! Forgive me! Please tell me if you'd like to see more, it really motivates me to get stuff out faster!

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Agent Peter Burke was a bit surprised to hear the young girl's voice on the end of the line. He glanced at his phone to see if he should recognize the voice on the line, but the number came up blocked. Leaning back in his chair he decided to play along, he was due for a break anyways. Slowly he leaned so his chair would swerve a bit, changing his view from the bureau to the window over looking the city.

"May I ask who this is?" He asked calmly, if not a bit bored. Most likely this call was a prank or would lead to nothing. Some conspiracies that had been formed in a bad dream, those were always fun. Insane, but fun.

There was a brief silence on the other end before the girl answered, "My name is Kate,"

Enlightenment flashed in the agent's eyes, "Kate, the same Kate that's been following Neal Caffrey around with awe struck eyes, the guy that has pulled of so many con's I don't feel like listing them out right now? That Kate?"

"Allegedly." Her voice said with an edge of defense, "he has been said to have done those things," there was a wince in her voice. As if she was starting to regret the call. Peter Burke was starting to regret her calling as well. However he was slightly intrigued why she would be calling him. He was 'the enemy' after all.

Peter glanced at the clock, he was wasting his time talking to this girl as she circled and hesitated around the point of the chat they were having, "unless the next words that come out of your mouth are some sort of evidence or confession that Neal Caffrey committed crimes in the past or the possibility of one in the future, you're wasting my time."

The girl took a sharp breath, "Neal Caffrey was kidnapped tonight. The man that took him said his boss wanted him to steal something. I want you to stop that from happening."

The fear was hidden badly; Burke's sensitive ears picked it up instantly. The boy he had been chasing for three years had been taken. "Why do you assume I can help, this sounds like a missing persons case to me."

"Because you're the only one who can find him," Kate answered truthfully. Even if the agent never had any substantial evidence to back up an arrest, Peter Burke found Neal multiple times. Testing and pushing him to confess to his crimes to the point of mild harassment. Of course it never worked. Neal Caffrey was a difficult one.

A light bulb flipped on in Peter's mind, "and if I help you find Caffrey, what's in it for me?" Burke asked greedily. Grinning as he turned back to his desk and flipping open Neal's file that was always sitting on his desk if only in the corner. Glancing over the picture he had of the conman, Peter smirked a bit as he waited for a reply. This call might not be such a waste of time after all.

"You will have prevented a theft and an innocent man's death," Kate sounded frustrated and breathy, worried.

Peter shook his head needlessly, "no, I want you to sweeten the pot. Give me something on Caffrey and we'll talk."

"What kind of something?" Kate gasped on the other end. Not a gasp of shock and awe but one of pure frustration and borderline fury.

"Give me evidence towards a crime he committed and I'll do everything in my power to make sure he is freed from the people who took him."

There was no negotiation in his voice, but he knew it wouldn't sit right at first with her. Or so he thought.

"Fine, I'll give you what you want, but first I want Neal safe. I'll give you the address but I only want you to come. No one else, no exceptions."

Surprise filled Peter's eyes but they narrowed down to business again, "Agreed," he said, writing down the address given to him, "I will need to tell my men what I'm doing, but with such a prize involved I don't think working alone will be much of a problem."

"Do what you must, but come alone." Kate snapped, hanging up the phone suddenly.

Peter chuckled in response and went to go tell Jones where he was headed off too. Neal Caffrey kidnapped was not a good sign. With the young man's reputation of course they wanted him to steal something, but what that something was would be the main question on Peter's mind until he had an answer to settle it.

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Kate threw her phone across the room, enjoying the sound of plastic shattering against the brick wall in front of her. Dropping to her knees she covered her face. Neal was in so much trouble and now she had given him up to more. What else could she do? They would kill Neal once they were finished, or he would die in the heist.

It was either lose Neal to a few years in prison or lose him forever. Kate couldn't stand forever.

With nothing else to do Kate changed into some clothes, a pair of blue jeans and a plain white shirt. She did her best not to move anything around so that when Agent Burke arrived the crime scene would be as undisturbed as possible. She would do anything to insure that the FBI agent located Neal, and the sooner the better.

She was just pulling up her long brown hair into a ponytail when a loud powerful knock sounded at the door. "FBI agents." She rolled her eyes, masculine in everything they did. Oh well, she needed him…hopefully she wouldn't end up killing him.

Swiftly she opened the door and they stared at each other for a moment. He was wearing some hideous suit that she swore he wore the last time he came and harassed Neal for something or other. "Agent Burke." She nodded and stepped aside to let him inside.

The man gave her a smile but it held no warmth. If anything it held a whole lot of smugness. Fisting her hands she shut the door and turned to watch as he glanced around the room.

"I see there was no forced entry at the door." He commented lightly as his eyes searched, "quant." He commented on the apartment, "I would expect something a bit more high classed from a con artist such as Caffrey." He turned to get her expression but she only stared at him blankly.

"I asked you here to help Neal, not give us decorating tips." Kate told him, her voice even and void of all emotion. Though in showing no emotion she conveyed exactly how she felt.

The agent shrugged and entered the bedroom casually, "while this abduction was taking place where were you exactly?" he turned to look at her when she didn't answer and Kate dropped her head a bit in shame.

"He told me to hid in the closet, Neal covered for me, said we had gotten in a fight and I left." She looked away to the far wall, the same wall she had shattered her phone against.

The agent nodded and continued his search, squatting down he pulled out a pen from his pocket and moved something on the floor. Curious Kate came closer to get a look, it was a plastic tube, something that might cap a needle.

"What did you hear from the closet, tell me anything that might be useful." The Agent pulled out a plastic bag and pushed the piece of plastic inside it and sealed it up. Evidence apparently.

"I heard footsteps, soft. He said Neal's name and wouldn't give his own." She thought back, pensive look pinching her face, "He had a gun, Neal mentioned it offhandedly. Probably to keep me from jumping out and trying to help."

"Would you have?" Burke asked suddenly, than caught her look and nodded, "right, what else?"

Kate took a breath, really not liking the man before her. He's the only one who can find Neal, she reminded herself silently before speaking again, "The man told Neal he didn't have a choice. I think there was a struggle and than it went quiet. Very quiet."

The agent nodded, "I believe hew as drugged with something, but also," he pointed to the white cover over the bed, there were flex of something dark. Blood Kate realized and a chill went through her, "during the scuffle someone must have drawn blood."

"There was a sound, a loud crack." Kate's words caught in her throat as it tightened with fear for Neal. She pushed the feeling aside, eyes snapping up to the agents, "maybe the man hit him with the gun?"

Agent Burke nodded, "That more than likely is what happened." Abruptly he turned and examined the window, it was cut with care and pulled back but there was nothing embedded in the wire to give any more information. This determined the Agent climbed through the window and followed the direction the kidnapper would have taken until he was standing on the street. Fresh tire tracks were on the pavement and he took a picture with his phone. Glancing back at Kate who had followed him he nodded, "it was nice seeing you again." He told her before turning and heading down the street.

"What? That's it?" Kate demanded coming after him stubbornly, "That's all your going to do? Aren't you going to look harder? Maybe you missed something…"

The agent looked at her with pity, "there is nothing else there. It is a pretty cut and dry kidnapping. I have the only evidence they left. If your lucky we'll find finger prints, if not I'm afraid there is little we can do at this point."

Kate's face fell at this information. Somewhere in her mind she knew he was right, but she didn't like it. "I want to come with you. I need to be there as soon as you find any information."

"No, you'll stay here and wait for a phone call. I don't need you distracting me while I'm at work."

"I'm a distraction?" Kate asked angrily, "I thought you were married."

The agent closed his eyes and seeming to count to ten, "not that kind of distraction." He said calmly. "I simply meant that I don't need a little girl asking me every ten minutes if I've found her boyfriend yet."

Kate glared, "you don't know anything about me or Neal, so don't act like you do."

The agent opened his mouth with some sort of retort but closed it suddenly. Rethinking his position. "I'm going to leave it at, your not coming, and you'll just have to wait." He told her before turning and continuing his way to his car. Getting in and driving off.

Watching him leave Kate let out a frustrated mini scream and felt like crying again. This time out of helplessness. She wanted to be active and that agent shut her out. She knew Neal, she could have been an asset to the investigation. Kate turned back to the apartment and headed inside wondering with a twisting feeling in her gut where Neal was, and what was being done to him.

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Thanks ever so much for reading! I would love it if you reviewed!

Neal will be the focus of the next chapter so get excited!


	3. Awkward

Hey guys! I'm updating earlier than normal! Good sign. Well in all honesty I'm doing everything possible to procrastinate with a presentation I have on Thursday...but don't worry, I'm going to rock it!

**Epicpickleninja** - first off I LOVE you're username. It made me smile...and than think. Don't ask. I'm glad you like kate's character because she is going to be a big part of the story! As for Mozzie I'm still debating because time line suggests that Mozzie and Peter never met before. So if he does make an appearance it will be a scene with just him and Kate.

Thanks for the reviews guys! Keep them coming!

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Everything was a haze, how much wine had he had the previous evening? It must have been a lot to make him feel this out of it. Blinking his eyes into focus Neal frowned deeply. This wasn't his ceiling. The high domed ceiling above him suggested he was in a much nicer place…which was not a good sign.

Blue eyes narrowed as Neal focused on the last memory he had. Had a job gone south? What would he have been stealing? Kate had mentioned a showing of a never seen before Van Gogh painting, giving to a friend and passed down through the generations until someone sold it in a garage sale not realizing who the artist was. It was supposed to be unveiled later that week…

No, that couldn't be it, blinking he turned his head to the side. "Now I'm really confused." He muttered to himself, his tongue feeling thick and heavy. The room he was in wasn't a gallery or any sort of museum but a bedroom. A really fancy, lavishly decorated bedroom.

First thing he looked for was windows but he got distracted when he tried to move his wrists but found them bound together with little plastic ties. Sitting up he started to draw his feet over the side of the bed but something caught his right ankle. One glance and his heart started beating faster, his ankle was chained to the bedpost.

"That would be a bad sign." Neal spoke evenly, scooting back so he could lean against the headboard. Another glance around the room and he noticed a door, that could only be open from the outside. "A very bad sign."

So he had been kidnapped, or something on the lines of it. Why couldn't he remember? With a frustrated sigh he started to check himself for injuries. Feeling across his forehead he found a bandage that must be covering a cut. Someone had taken the time and effort to clean him up, that must mean whoever they were they didn't want him dead. Yet.

"Slightly good sign." Neal offered himself a bit of optimism.

Studying his arms next he found a small bruise and when he studied closer he noticed a small hole. Needle. "Right, they drugged me, that's why I don't remember." Normally drugs that involved being unconscious for periods of time caused memory loss.

A thought dawned on him. "Kate…" he whispered, but before he could worry about her for long the door opened and three men walked in.

Immediately Neal could see the two men behind the first were flunkies. Muscle who were there for the scare tactic. Ignoring them Neal looked at the first man. A middle aged white guy, bald who carried himself with power and money. Back to the bad signs.

"Mr. Caffrey," the man said in strong baritone, his voice carried light in an almost cheerful way as he approached the con. Clearly he was not afraid of Neal. Come to think of it, Neal was pretty sure no one was afraid of himself. He wasn't violent, they only thing you would have to be afraid of was him sneaking in and stealing something valuable you owned. This man had managed to sneak in and steal Neal.

Awkward.

Neal attempted to focus on what was being said. It was difficult with the thoughts swirling around in his head, but Neal was an excellent multitasker.

The man's eyes looked over him like a hunter eyeing his prey. "I'm sure you are curious as to why you were brought here."

"I'm more curious on how I leave." Neal told the man without skipping a beat, raising his plastic tied hands he raised an eyebrow, "are these really necessary? If you wanted to meet with me there are easier ways to do so. Phone call, letter, email." Neal's blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "if you're really creative you could have knocked on my door and asked in person instead of stealing me away with drugs and bringing me to wherever this place is."

The man didn't look amused, "It would be in your best interest if you remained silent from this moment on."

Neal sighed dramatically leaning his head back against the backboard of the bed, "you asked the question I just answered."

Rich bald man glanced at muscle number two next to him and nodded. The man stepped forward with remarkable speed and backhanded Neal across the face. The force caused Neal to spill over to the side across the bed.

"Now, listen carefully. My name is Fredrick."

"You got a first name?" Neal interjected daringly as he righted himself on the bed, bringing his bound hands up to rub his cheek. The young con fully expected another slap in the face but Fredrick held up a hand, stopping muscle number two.

"This will be my last warning, hold your tongue Mr. Caffrey, or lose it." Fredrick's threat was backed by the knife muscle number one pulled out of his boot. Neal eyed the knife and decided for once to shut up and listen. He did still hope to get out of this mess with all body parts in tact.

"Now," the man stepped a bit closer to Neal, hands clasped behind his back as he eyed the younger man, "You may call me Mr. Fredrick. I have brought you here because I have use of your…skills. I have heard you are the best at what you do."

Neal bit back a summarized repeat of his former statement and waited for Mr. Fredrick to get to the point.

"You will steal a painting for me and you will do it tonight." With a snap of his fingers a young girl, maybe fifteen hurried in the room. She was dressed in a white gown and kept her head down as she handed Fredrick a folder.

Without a word of thanks the bald man snatched the file from her, keeping his eyes on Neal as he threw the file at the younger man. "Everything you need to know is in the file. In three hours I will return and hear you're purposed plan on breaking in stealing the painting and getting out without getting killed. If I believe that you're plan is valuable you live. If you pull it off without getting caught, you live. Simple enough for you?"

The two stared at each other for a moment in silence.

"Mr. Caffrey."

Neal raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

Fredrick glared at the younger man, "Mr. Caffrey, do you understand?"

"Oh, so I'm allowed to talk now." Neal said as if he was actually surprised, "I understand, Mr. Fredrick."

Abruptly muscle two backhanded Neal again, sending him to the side again with more force than the first time.

"Ouch," he growled, glaring at the muscle, "Can I ask what I did this time?"

"You annoyed me." Muscle said and headed out of the room at the snapping sound of Fredrick's fingers. The trio left without another word or glance at Neal.

"No problem, I'll get right on that."

Alone once again Neal wondered about Kate, he had no memory of what happened to her and that worried him more than the situation he was in. Clearly she wasn't involved in this mess or they would have used her against him. "I just hope that means you're safe." Neal whispered struggling with his bound hands to open and review the file. He needed to stay alive long enough to learn the fate of the girl who stole his heart.

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Thanks for reading guys! Please read and review and I will get started on the next chapter!


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